When one mentions of vampires, Braham Stoker’s Dracula often comes to mind. As time passed, the genre has grown as other authors have developed the vampire’s nocturnal world, added myths of their malicious nature. This has caused great angst for the undead who stalk the world’s streets because they would prefer such things to be left in the past as it would make their existence much easier.
Like many legendary creatures, vampiric lore reflects the deeds of only a small portion of their population. A few of their kind were indeed ravenous £ends who ran with wild abandon across the midnight countryside to feast off any warm neck that could be found. After all, the undead lords had near limitless power and were immortal. Why should they fear their human cattle? The world was theirs for the taking! Fortunately for the species, some of their kind had clearer heads and dodged the wrath of mortals. It’s these survivors and their spawn that now threaten the modern world.
A wide variety of vampires populate the planet. There are those who gladly walk among the masses. Such creatures risk everything to feed their vanity and use a high profile lifestyle to throw off suspicion. What would normally raise eyebrows is merely written off as eccentricity. Thus, they skate the edge of discovery, which only feeds their emotional rush.
Socialite vampires usually surround themselves with an entourage. After all, why order out for food when it can travel with you! They may keep several groups of willing sheep for this purpose and cake great pains to ensure the marks of their feedings go unnoticed. Artists, rock stars, supermodels, and (to be cliche) Goth personalities are apt firs for this type of vainglorious creature. Socialite vampires often nearly flaunt their undead status. These creatures may try to encourage preposterous rumors of their vampiric nature and treat such things as an inside joke. After all, everyone knows there are no such things as vampires.
At the other end of the spectrum lies subtle, calculating creatures that are not nearly so foolish. These vampires have withdrawn to the shadowy depths of civilization and prefer to avoid unnecessary attention. It’s no accident that they have avoided the vampire hunter’s stake. Secret Swiss bank accounts, subterfuge, and layers of mystery are the common tools of their trade. The ancient creatures of the night have cloaked their true origins in mystery and slowly built their power as the years slid by. The acquired might allows the parasites greater ease in feeding off humanity. If one finds them at all, they might see these lords of the night manipulating a small nation from behind the scenes or directing vast financial empires. Vampires of this ilk are accustomed to wielding vase power and prefer to solve their problems with maneuvering instead of resorting to needless violence. Their connections allow them to do more than merely crush their foes. Those foolish enough to earn their anger may find themselves left with their credit declined, bank accounts frozen, and no where to turn.
Somewhere between the financial wizards and slaves of ego lie monsters that only exist to feed. They prey upon the nameless fringes of society by targeting the homeless or others who would not readily be missed. Unlike their more affluent brethren, they are forced to rely on wit and circumstance. Their typical lairs include catacombs, forgotten sewer tunnels, and ruined buildings. Hunting these creatures can be quite difficult due to their ability to blend in with their surroundings. What one might think to be a vampire could merely be an addict or other denizen that hails from the dregs of humanity. The predators also do their best to covertly discourage drug pushers from entering their domain. After all, why would they want to their next meal tainted?
Vampires could be the major antagonist or serve as crucial cogs that drive the gears of larger plans. Theirs is the ability to draw upon vast cultural experiences gained from their extended lifespan. Western settings might feature an apparent alcoholic gunslinger who shuns the daylight hours while sleeping off hangovers.
Heroes may incur the wrath of undead masters after unwittingly disrupting their financial manipulation plans. They could spend some time traveling through a web of mystery before finally cutting the puppetmaster’s strings.
Typical Calculating Vampire
Reflexes 4D: brawling 4D+1, riding 4D+1
Coordination 2D: throwing 2D+1, sleight of hand 2D+1
Physique 3D (+3): infection 5D, lifting 4D, stamina 4D
Knowledge 2D: business 6D, scholar 6D
Perception 4D: hide 4D+1, know-how 4D+1
Presence 3D: charm 4D, con 3D+2, intimidation 5D, persuasion 5D, willpower 4D
Strength Damage: 2D (+3)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 2
Character Points: 5
Body Points: 19
Wound Levels: 3
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel (R3), nutritional requirements: blood; Achilles’ Heel (R4), unable to make any actions except to flee while in the presence of a holy symbol or garlic; Achilles’ Heel (R4), 2D damage per round of exposure to sunlight; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), passes on all Special Abilities and Disadvantages to target after having used Life Drain to bring the target to Mortally Wounded or less than 10% of Body Points
Advantages: Authority (R3), CEO of a large corporation; Contacts (R3), member of the illuminati; Wealth (R4)
Special Abilities: Attack Resistance: Non-enchanted (R1), +1D to damage resistance rolls against related attacks; Blur (R1), + 1 to dodge, sneak, and hide totals of character and all related difficulties against character; Increased Attribute: Physique (R3), +3 to related totals; Life Drain: Body Points/Wounds (R2), drains 6 Body Points/ 1 Wound level per successful biting attack; immortality (R1), a stake through the heart causes permanent death
Typical Predatory Vampire
Reflexes 3D (+3): brawling 7D, climbing 5D, flying 5D, melee combat 5D
Coordination 2D+2: throwing3D, missile weapons 3D; throwing 3D
Physique 4D (+3): infection 6D, lifting 5D, running SD, stamina 5D
Knowledge 2D: demolitions 3D, security 3D
Perception 3D+l: hide 7D, know-how 5D, streetwise 7D, survival 6D
Presence 3D: command 4D, disguise 4D, intimidation 4D
Strength Damage: 3D (+3)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 2
Character Points: 5
Body Points: 22
Wound Levels: 3
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel (R3), nutritional requirements: blood; Achilles’ Heel (R4), unable to make any actions except to flee while in the presence of a holy symbol or garlic; Achilles’ Heel (R4), 2D damage per round of exposure to sunlight; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), passes on all Special Abilities and Disadvantages to target after having used Life Drain to bring the target to Mortally Wounded or less than 10% of Body Points; Infamy (R2)
Advantages: Authority (R1), influential with street people; Cultures (R1), bonus when dealing with ghetto environments
Special Abilities: Attack Resistance: Non-enchanted (R1), +1D to damage resistance rolls against related attacks; Blur (R1), +1 to dodge, sneak, and hide totals of character and all related difficulties against character; Combat Sense (R1), surprise penalties reduced by 2; Flight (R2), flying move of 40; Increased Attribute: Physique, Reflexes (R3 each), +3 to related totals; Life Drain: Body Points/Wounds (R2), drains 6 Body Points/1 Wound level per successful biting attack; Immortality (R1), a stake through the heart causes permanent death
Typical Socialite Vampire
Reflexes 3D: acrobatics 4D, brawling 3D+2, dodge 3D+l, flying 3D+2
Coordination 2D: piloting 5D; throwing 5D
Physique 2D: infection 4D, lifting 4D, running 3D
Knowledge 3D+1: forgery 5D, languages 4D, navigation 4D
Perception 3D+2: artist 6D, gambling 5D, hide4D
Presence 4D (+3): disguise 4D+2, charm 5D, con 4D+2, intimidation 4D+2, persuasion 4D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 2
Character Points: 5
Body Points: 16
Wound Levels: 3
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel (R3), nutritional requirements: blood; Achilles’ Heel (R4), unable to make any actions except to flee while in the presence of a holy symbol or garlic; Achilles’ Heel (R4), 2D damage per round of exposure to sunlight; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), passes on all Special Abilities and Disadvantages to target after having used Life Drain to bring the target to Mortally Wounded or less than 10% of Body Points
Advantages: Contacts (R2), large fanatical fan base; Fame (R3), achieved icon status
Special Abilities: Attack Resistance: Non-enchanted (R1), +1D to damage resistance rolls against related attacks; Blur (R 1), +1 to dodge, sneak, and hide totals of character and all related difficulties against character; Flight (R2), flying move of 40; Increased Attribute: Presence (R3), +3 to related totals; Life Drain: Body Points/ Wounds (R2), drains 6 Body Points/1 Wound level per successful biting attack; Immortality (R1), a stake through the heart causes permanent death